Jennie Curtis Cannon

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Jennie Curtis Cannon
Mrs Cannon with her chauffeur.jpg
Cannon in her decorated automobile
Born
Jennie Olive Curtis

(1851-10-15)October 15, 1851
Peterboro, New York
DiedSeptember 8, 1929(1929-09-08) (aged 77)
At sea
Resting placeDelhi, New York
Other namesMrs. Henry W. Cannon
OccupationSuffragist
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1879; her death 1929)​
ChildrenGeorge Curtis Cannon
Henry White Cannon Jr.

Jennie Olive Curtis Cannon (October 15, 1851 – September 8, 1929) was an American suffragist.

Early life[]

Cannon was born on October 15, 1851 in Peterboro, New York.[1] She was a daughter of Mary Abigail (née Anderson) Curtis and Gold Tompkins Curtis (1821–1862).[2] Her father was a prominent attorney who gave up his practice during the U.S. Civil War to raise a company, the 5th Minnesota Volunteers to fight, dying in 1862 during his service.[3]

Her younger brother was Gold Tompkins Curtis Jr. and she was a relation of John Jay Knox.[4]

Activism[]

Cannon was a prominent suffragist who advocated for the right to vote for women. She was a member of the New York State Equal Suffrage Association, first serving as district director and then third vice president. She went on to become the Vice President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.[5]

She was known for her forceful and talented speaking skills and was active on the local level.[6] She maintained the Delhi, New York headquarters for the suffrage campaign.[7] In 1914 Cannon organized an Equal Suffrage Convention in Delhi which included Carrie Chapman Catt as a speaker. In 1915 Cannon organized a mass suffrage meeting in Hancock, New York.[8] She also advocated for suffrage by driving around Delaware County in her decorated automobile.[1] She provided the club with its headquarters.[9]

  • Mrs. Cannon's Equal Suffrage Car, side view

  • Mrs. Cannon's Equal Suffrage Car, back view

Personal life[]

On November 20, 1879, Cannon was married to Henry White Cannon (1850���1934) in Washington, D.C.[4] Cannon served as the United States Comptroller of the Currency from 1884 to 1886 and president of Chase National Bank from 1886 to February 1904. Together, they were the parents of:[4]

  • George Curtis Cannon (1882–1956), a Harvard graduate who collected vintage cars and designed hydroplanes.[10]
  • Henry White Cannon Jr. (1887–1966), an artist.[11]

Cannon died at sea, aboard the ship The Majestic on September 8, 1929.[12] Her widower died on April 27, 1934 in Daytona Beach, Florida.[13] He was also buried in Delhi, New York.[14][15]

Legacy[]

Cannon's home in Delhi now houses the Town of Delhi Historical Society.[16] Canon's collection of clippings and photographs documenting her suffrage activities comprise the "Jennie Curtis Cannon Collection" of the Delaware County Historical Association and the New York Heritage Digital Collection.[1][5]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Oaks, Jodi. "Biographical Sketch of Jennie Curtis Cannon". Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920. Alexander Street Documents. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  2. ^ "GOLD TOMPKINS CURTIS AND FAMILY: An Inventory of Their Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society". mnhs.org. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  3. ^ Williams, Henry Clay (1893). American Encyclopaedia of Biography. Hightstown, New Jersey: Metropolitan Publishing and Engraving Company. pp. 141-144. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Jennings, William Henry (1899). A Genealogical History of the Jennings Families in England and America ... Press of Mann & Adair. p. 455. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Jennie Curtis Cannon Collection". New York Heritage. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  6. ^ Goodier, Susan; Pastorello, Karen (2017). Women Will Vote: Winning Suffrage in New York State. Cornell University Press. p. 49. ISBN 9781501713194. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  7. ^ Goodier, Susan; Pastorello, Karen (2017). Women Will Vote: Winning Suffrage in New York State. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9781501713194.
  8. ^ "MRS. CANNON USES VOTERS' CARD INDEX; Wife of ex-Bank President Is Delaware County Suffrage Leader. HAS UP-TO-DATE METHODS Headquarters In Delhi Is a Delight to Speakers from This City ;- Plans Big Rally on Oct. 6". The New York Times. 26 September 1915. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Jessica (January 5, 2017). "On the Bright Side: Historical society to spotlight local women's suffrage group". The Daily Star. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  10. ^ "GEORGE CANNON IS DEAD; Hobbyist Contended He Gave First Musical Radio Show" (PDF). The New York Times. 2 October 1956. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Henry White Cannon Jr". artmuseum.princeton.edu. Princeton University Art Museum. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  12. ^ "MRS. CANNON DIES AT SEA.; Wife of Ex-President of Chase National Bank Stricken on Majestic". The New York Times. 9 September 1929. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  13. ^ "HENRY W. CANNON WELL-KNOWN BANKER, PASSES ON AT 83 | Stricken at Home in Daytona Beach -- Former President of Chase National Bank -- Long Owned Home Here" (PDF). The Long-Islander. May 4, 1934. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  14. ^ "DIED. CANNON--Henry White". The New York Times. 30 April 1934. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  15. ^ "H.W. CANNON ESTATE LEFT TO HIS FAMILY; Former Chase President's Will Disposes of $350,000 Cash and 5,750 Shares of Bank Stock". The New York Times. 30 April 1934. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  16. ^ "About Us". Town of Delhi Historical Society. Retrieved 19 October 2019.

External links[]

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